reloading?

[DesertBull]

Is there still a big advantage, both cost and accuracy wise, to reloading? Seems as though all the good bullets are now being loaded at the factory, but it cost over $1 everytime you pull the trigger.

 

What is the average cost of a reloaded round (Accubond, Interlock, Partition, etc), not counting the initial outlay for reloading equipment?

[Kevin]

If you buy your components in bulk, you might save money but only if you buy locally. Hazardous shipping fees on powder and primers will kill you! Nosler Partitions, alone are around $0.40 each so it doesn't take long to get to 1.00 each shot if you have to buy brass, powder and primers. That said, I enjoy reloading, and recently my young daughters (3 & 6) have started helping me clean brass, trim cases, etc. and getting them involved is important to me and the time we have together "making shells" is priceless! Also, few guns will shoot factory ammo better than something you've tuned to your gun. I don't bother reloading for my .223 because I can buy bulk ammo cheaper than I can load it, but for my magnums, I might save a few cents each round if I consider my time free.

 

Kevin

[billrquimby]

I can't remember when I fired factory ammo out of one of my rifles. I don't know or care what the cost-effectiveness might be, but I like to fool myself into thinking that reloaded ammo costs me less than $1.00 per round. I think I'm safe in saying I save a bunch of money when I reload for the .375 and .458, even including the cost of the new brass. I reload because I enjoy doing it, and I get atisfaction in taking an animal with one of my "home-mades." There's something else about reloading many people forget. You will do a lot more shooting when you load 50-100 rounds at a time as opposed to forking over hard cash for boxes of 20 store-boughts ... and the more shooting you do the better you'll be.

 

Bill

[firstcoueswas80]

the pride alone in seeing a group that you have hand loaded shoot a 3 shot group smaller than a penny is worth it. then, actually harvesting a animal let alone finding the bullet is also a sense of pride. i remember the pride i felt when i pulled the 165 sierra game king i had just used to take my 2nd elk... awesome! then seeing the couse from my dads rifle fall with the bullet i have loaded, and the coues fall with the bullet i loaded for my own rifle... worth it! and you can not beat the accuracy once you find a pet load!

[Couesdeer]

Ditto on what those other guys said about "rolling your own". It's fun and rewarding.

Here's the cost of a reloaded 300 Win Mag round loaded with 77 grains of reloader 22 and a 165 grain nosler partition bullet (my pet load) based on new component prices from natchez shooter's supply.

 

Brass: $20.09 for 50... .40 each

CCI 250 primer: $18.12 per 1000....... .02 each

165 Gr. nosler partition: $20.99 per 50.... .42 each

77 grains of reloader 22

7000 grains per pound= 91 charges per pound

$20 per pound of powder divided by 91 .22 per charge of powder

 

I get a grand total of 1.06 per load. Compared to Federal Premium Ammunition utilizing the same 165 grain partition at 33.99 per box = 1.69 per round

 

Of course, as you reuse brass, buy powder in bulk quantities, buy bullets in bulk (or blems from the factory), the per round cost of the reloaded ammo goes down further.

 

hope this helps......

[DesertBull]

Thanks!

[billrquimby]

Ditto on what those other guys said about "rolling your own".  It's fun and rewarding. 

Here's the cost of a reloaded 300 Win Mag round loaded with 77 grains of reloader 22 and a 165 grain nosler partition bullet (my pet load) based on new component prices from natchez shooter's supply.

 

Brass: $20.09 for 50...                            .40 each

CCI 250 primer: $18.12 per 1000.......    .02 each

165 Gr. nosler partition: $20.99 per 50.... .42 each

77 grains of reloader 22

7000 grains per pound= 91 charges per pound

$20 per pound of powder divided by 91    .22 per charge of powder

 

I get a grand total of 1.06 per load.  Compared to Federal Premium Ammunition utilizing the same 165 grain partition at 33.99 per box = 1.69 per round

 

Of course, as you reuse brass, buy powder in bulk quantities, buy bullets in bulk (or blems from the factory), the per round cost of the reloaded ammo goes down further. 

 

hope this helps......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've never added up the price of components as you've done, but that works out to $0.66 per round if you have the brass, so it's economically worthwhile as well as fun. Wonder why more people don't reload?

 

BillQ

[DesertBull]

Is there one reloading manual that is better than others for beginners?

[youngbuck]

i use the hornady books the most (the two pack) it is a little more money than some of the others but they have a ton of info in them. The second book calculates bullet drop from every bullet with just about any speed obtainable. it also has alot of the newer rounds in it (WSM's WSSM"S ultra's) The intro is great. It has a ton of color pictures on how to get started. The sportsmans wharehouse sometimes has an opened one on the shelf.

[DesertBull]

Thanks, I do need WSM data.

[Red Rabbit]

DesertBull,

If you go to shortmags.org, they have the WSM load info from many component/bullet manufacturers in downloadable format.

 

For a manual, I like Nosler #5

 

A DVD/Video on how to reload would be good fo rone who has no experience or a knowledgable mentor.

 

RR

[billrquimby]

I like the 2-book Hornady set because it is loaded with info. I especially like the bulllet drop info on book 2. Nosler's is good, too, but if I were starting out I'd buy the Hornady set, as well as a book from the maker of whatever bullets you'll be loading.

 

BillQ

[DesertBull]

http://cgi.ebay.com/HORNADY-RIFLE-PISTOL-R...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Are these the Hornady manuals you are talking about?

[billrquimby]

http://cgi.ebay.com/HORNADY-RIFLE-PISTOL-R...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Are these the Hornady manuals you are talking about?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yes. Have fun, and load safely.

[couesarcher]

I am also interested in starting to reload. My question is, there are several different makers of reloading equipment out there. RCBS, LEE, DILLON, LYMAN.

All of them sell starter kits, which manufacture do you recommend or are they pretty much all the same?

 

Terry